Less than one in four Indians aware of brain stroke: Survey

India: Boehringer Ingelheim India has released the findings of India’s first consumer survey on brain stroke titled ‘The State of Stroke: A Survey on Awareness about Stroke in Urban India’, ahead of World Brain Day, 2022. The survey was commissioned by Boehringer Ingelheim India and conducted by IPSOS.

The survey, conducted by IPSOS with a sample size of 4742, across 12 cities in India revealed that only 22 percent of the respondents were aware of the risk factors and symptoms of brain stroke, and the awareness levels further drop to just 10 percent with respect to the treatment options.

The findings of this survey pointed to lower awareness levels of disease conditions, particularly in smaller towns and lower socio-economic class. Compared to the national average of 70 percent, only 1/3rd of the respondents in the city of Pune, Chandigarh and Lucknow recalled awareness of the term brain stroke with respondents from the East being the most aware. Brain stroke literacy on FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time) symptoms was uniformly low across geographies.

According to Lancet Global Health, stroke incidences in females (656,900) were higher than males (634,300) in 2019. Despite the disparity in prevalence amongst genders, ‘The State of Stroke’ survey found only 68 percent females were aware of the term brain stroke in comparison to 71 percent males. As compared to 24 percent males, only 20 percent females were aware of the brain stroke symptoms. Only 8 percent female respondents were aware of diagnostic procedures and treatment options for stroke vs 13 percent and 11 percent males for diagnostic procedures and treatment options respectively.

Dr Shraddha Bhure, Medical Director, Boehringer Ingelheim India, said “Brain stroke is a serious medical emergency which could result in devastating disabilities. In a country like India, where its incidences are on the rise, addressing an episode of brain stroke in a timely manner can go a long way. Boehringer Ingelheim endeavors to raise awareness around this serious condition and emphasize the need for prompt response in the event of a stroke.”